


Dodged a Bullet

by dearestones (Devin_Trinidad)



Category: Akudama Drive (Anime)
Genre: As requested on Tumblr, Gen, Tumblr request, and cutthroat likes red, brawler has red hair, brawler introspection and thoughts concerning cutthroat, just imagine what Cutthroat is thinking when he sees Brawler for the first time, so like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:27:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29609397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devin_Trinidad/pseuds/dearestones
Summary: “‘Sup, brother!” Brawler casually greeted. “Need somethin?’”Cutthroat stared impassively at the much larger man, his eyes seemingly taking everything in and nothing at the same time. For Brawler, despite the reservations that he had about Cutthroat’s character, he remained perfectly still, a slight grin on his face belying the fact that he could sense… something emanating from Cutthroat.Call it a feeling honed from years of practice, but Brawler could have sworn that it was bloodlust.
Relationships: Cutthroat (Akudama Drive) and Brawler (Akudama Drive)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Dodged a Bullet

**Author's Note:**

> Anonymous Request: Something that always got me thinking was how Cutthroat was obsessed with red, yet never once commented about Brawler's *red* hair; an interaction between them about it, perhaps? Can be shippy, or just a conversation, I'm curious on how it goes down.

Brawler wasn’t known for being tactful. Hell, he wasn’t known for being polite or formal. He was a guy who said it like it was, regardless if it was considered nice or proper to say in the first place. While his attitude may have gotten him in trouble many times in the past, he never really learned.

(It may have something to do with the fact that over time, Brawler learned how to get out of those situations through the use of his fists).

Regardless of his past, Brawler was an Akudama through and through. Chased after the law and mercilessly threatened to nearly an inch of his life by several Executioners, he had made a name for himself as one of the strongest Akudama to ever grace Kansai. It was a title that Brawler wore with pride. If there was an Akudama who threatened that moniker, then he was sure to make himself stronger and to oppose such a weakling. 

No one was stronger than him. 

And, if they knew what was good for them, then no one would knowingly challenge him either. 

And then he met his latest coworkers on the upcoming Shinkansen heist. For the most part, they seemed to be relatively boring, if weak people. The Doctor was somewhat formidable with her ability to bring people from the brink of death, Courier relied too much on his silence and his motorcycle, and none of the other members could challenge him physically. Intellectually, however, Hacker’s prowess with technology and Black Cat’s position as the mastermind could undermine him, but he didn’t quite care about things like that. Meanwhile, Miss Swindler and his bro Hoodlum could barely do anything without relying on others for help.

(That’s right, the last two were practically useless, but that was okay with Brawler. So long as they didn’t challenge his status as the strongest, then he was all right with that).

And then—

There was that one.

Now, as the subject of much ridicule, be it because of his foreign physical features or his lack of tactfulness, Brawler knew what it was like for some people to talk bad about him. Frankly, it hurt, but years of verbal and physical abuse had more than desensitized him. Such treatment could have turned him into a monster, yet…

He was not a terrible person—most of the time. 

He was an Akudama for sure, but he refrained from being too cruel unless he was forced to do so or he deemed it necessary. Because of that, he kept his true thoughts about his fellow coworkers close to himself. (He already knew that Hoodlum was nothing more than a coward and that the Doctor thought him nothing more than pure muscle with no brain). 

However, there was just something… off about the final member of their team. 

His name was Cutthroat and Brawler intimately knew about his death sentence. 

Akudama were like roaches that prowled the side streets and alleyways of underground Kansai. When word got out about Cutthroat’s capture and subsequent execution, they immediately regaled each other with tales of how this particular Akudama had killed indiscriminately, how he was reportedly one of the most unhinged individuals to be let loose within the city. 

Brawler had shrugged off such fearful tales with the carelessness of a person who had faced much worse. Why should he worry about Cutthroat? Brawler was strong while Cutthroat was one that relied on wit and cunning to target his prey. 

Brawler could respect that. 

So long as Cutthroat didn’t prove proficient in the art of hand to hand combat, then they were good to go.

And then they had met officially under the scrutinizing gaze of Black Cat. 

Cutthroat had taken in Brawler’s hulking presence, from the muscles that rippled with every movement that were displayed on his chest down to the combat boots and camo pants. It was then that Cutthroat glanced up and started quite disbelievingly at Brawler’s hair. 

Now, Brawler knew that he was different from most of the populace in Kansai. Painfully aware of it, in fact. Perhaps his ancestors had immigrated from some far off country before the great war between Kanto and Kansai—he was never too good with dates and history anyway. He knew the discriminatory looks and the hushed whispers that looked like they were occurring when he wasn’t in earshot (or sometimes, quite blatantly in his presence), but Brawler had taught himself to not allow his soft insides to be carved with jagged knives from people who didn’t know any better.

He was proud of his appearance. 

He was strong and he was going to show it off because he worked hard for such strength. 

As Brawler looked away (not in submission, but rather in dismissal because Cutthroat was definitely not worth wasting his strength over), the infamous serial killer practically skipped in his direction. Amused by such a display, Brawler couldn’t help but want to clap his hand on Cutthroat’s shoulder. Seriously, the serial killer was childish—like him—why not indulge in such pleasantries?

However, Brawler exercised caution.

It would certainly not be the first time he had done so, but it didn’t come naturally to him like swinging a roundhouse kick. 

“‘Sup, brother!” Brawler casually greeted. “Need somethin?’”

Cutthroat stared impassively at the much larger man, his eyes seemingly taking everything in and nothing at the same time. For Brawler, despite the reservations that he had about Cutthroat’s character, he remained perfectly still, a slight grin on his face belying the fact that he could sense… something emanating from Cutthroat. 

Call it a feeling honed from years of practice, but Brawler could have sworn that it was bloodlust. 

However, just as suddenly as Brawler felt it, Cutthroat smiled and let out a high pitched giggle better suited for a high schooler and not a man such as himself. 

“Goodness, a man such as yourself has such good taste!”

Cutthroat’s eyes sized up Brawler’s hair—as if contemplating if he wanted to touch it. Brawler hoped he wouldn’t. It would be a pain explaining Cutthroat’s sudden death to Black Cat and the rest of the members of the crew. (Plus, he could only imagine Swindler crying and he didn’t want to get blamed for that). 

“Not as pretty a red as Swindler’s, but—“ Cutthroat patted Brawler’s bicep in an all too familiar way. “—you’re honestly doing better than say… Hacker or Courier.” 

Before he knew it, Brawler found himself staring at empty space. Blinking, he happened to see Cutthroat invade Swindler’s space while the former flailed about asking for help. 

Brawler was silent, contemplative. 

He had been on the business side of a gun too many times in the past to know that he had dodged a bullet. 

Taking in the helpless look on Swindler’s face as she flailed helplessly against Cutthroat’s affectionate assault, he wished he could say the same for her. 


End file.
